Control for buttonhole stitch forming means



D. P. REILLY Dec. 24, 1940.

' CONTROL FOR BUTTONHOLE STITCH FORMING MEANS Filed Feb. 12, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. D P REILLY Dec. 24, 1940. D. P. REILLY CONTROLFOR BUTTONHOLE STITCH FORMING MEANS Filed Feb. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR, W Z). P REILLY & 52 %m Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CONTROL FOR BUTTONHOLE STITCH FORMING MEANS 10 Claims.

This invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines of the type whereinthe machine sews a group of stitches and the general object of myinvention is to provide a simply and easily operated means forcontrolling the number of stitches per buttonhole.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a novel manuallycontrolled means which is readily accessible to an operator of thesewing machine to adjust the number of stitches per buttonhole made by abuttonhole making machine.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view with portions thereof broken awayof a buttonhole forming machine base and supporting table showing myimproved adjusting device;

Fig. 1A is a fragmentary side elevation on a reduced scale of themachine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of my improved adjusting member;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section through the adjusting device taken on line 44, Fig.1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of myinvention;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the adjusting device shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is an end view of the adjusting device shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is an end view of the opposite end of the adjusting device;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of a buttonhole forming machinebase and supporting tabel showing a further modified form of myinvention; and

Fig. 12 is a side View of the device shown in Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated myimproved stitch adjusting device generally at I0. As shown the device IBincludes an elongated base member I2. Intermediate the length of thebase member I2 a second base member I3 extends at right angles and issecured by countersunk screws I4. The outer end of the base I3 issupported on a block 155 I5 secured thereto by countersunk screws I6.

Positioned on the base I2 I provide a slide bar I1 which includes a geartoothed rack portion I8 on the side nearest to the base I3. The slidebar I1 is positioned between spaced guide bars I 9 and 20. The guide barI9 is secured to the base I2 by countersunk screws 2|, while the guidebar 20 is adjustably secured thereto by means of screws 2Ia whichslidably engage in elongated slots 2Ib.

Secured to the base I2 and extending through the guide bar I9 I providea threaded post 22 (see Fig. 4). Loosely mounted on the threaded post 22I provide a clamp member 23 which includes a foot portion 24 adapted toengage the base I2 and a foot portion 25 adapted to engage the slide barI1.

Above the clamp 23I provide a thumb nut 26 on the threaded post 22 whichis adapted when tightened to clamp the foot 24 of the member 23 in tightengagement with the base I2 and the foot 25 in tight engagement with theslide bar I1 thereby retaining the slide bar in an adjusted position.

Positioned on the base I3 I provide a slide bar 21 which like the slidebar I1 includes a gear toothed rack portion 28 on the side thereof. Theslide bar 21 overlies the slide bar I1 and is supported on the guide barI9.

On the guide bar I9 and the base I3 I provide guide members 29 which aresecured to their respective supports by countersunk screws 30 (see' Fig.6). The guide members 29 in the under faces thereof each has a recess 3|therein in which the slide bar 21 is positioned.

Adjacent the slide bars I1 and 21 I provide a post 32 which is securedto the base I2.

Rotatably mounted on the post 32 I provide a gear 33 which meshes'withthe gear teeth I8 of the slide bar I1. Above the gear 33 I provide asmaller gear 34 which meshes with the gear teeth 28 of the slide'bar 21.The gears 33 and 34 are secured together as by brazing or doweling.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the slide bar I1 ismoved the gear teeth I8 thereof will rotate the gear 33 and as the gear34 rotates it will move the slide bar 21 through the gear teeth 28thereon.

Mounted on the slide bar 21 adjacent the end thereof remote from thebase I3 I provide a post 35 which is positioned in an aperture 36adjacent one end of a link bar 31 (see Fig. 3). The link 31 is supportedabove the gear 34 by a sleeve 38 surrounding the post 35.

Above the link 31 the post 35 includes a reduced threaded portion 39 onwhich I provide a plurality of nuts 40 to prevent displacement of thelink 31.

In Fig. 1 I have indicated a portion of a standard type buttonholeforming machine generally at 4!. The machine 4! is similar to themachines described in Patent No. 738,591, September 8, 1903, and PatentNo. 858,133, June 25, 1907, both to E. B. Allen. The machine 4| includesa base portion 42 mounted on a table top 43.

The machine base 42 includes a top wall 44 and side walls 45.

Within the base 42 the machine 4| includes the usual feed wheel 46mounted on a feed wheel shaft 46 and including a feed wheel driving arm41.

As shown in Fig. 5 the adjusting arm 41 has an elongated arcuate recess48 therein and an arcuate slot 49 which is aligned with the recess 48and opens through the lower face of the arm 41 thereof. A feed wheeldriving member is shiftable along the arm and includes a pivot postmember 50 which includes an enlarged head 59 which is positioned in theslot 49 with the head 5| in the recess 48. Opposite the head 5| the post50 includes a reduced threaded portion 53. The post includes an enlargedflange engaging the lower face of the lever 41.

When the device It is assembled in conjunction with the machine 4| thebase i3 is positioned within the machine base 42 adjacent the side wallthereof with the greater portion of the base l2 extending beyond themachine base through an aperture 45 in the side wall 45. The base I2 issecured to the table 43 by countersunk screws l2.

The hub portion 55 of an oscillating arm or pitman 55 surrounds the postbelow the post flange 52. The end of the link 3'! remote from the post35 has a plurality of apertures 54 therein in any one of which the lowerend of the post 50 may be adjustably secured. For retaining the link 3'!on the post 50 I pro-vide a washer 56 and a plurality of nuts 5"! whichengage the reduced threaded portion 53 of the post.

Thus it will be apparent that when the slide bar 27 is moved aspreviously described the link 3'! will be moved and will move thedriving member or pivot post 50 to change the degree of oscillatingmovement of the lever 41 thereby changing the number of stitches perbuttonhole formed by the buttonhole forming machine.

A pointer I211 is permanently located at a predetermined point on thebase l2 adjacent a suitable indicia bearing scale 58 which is calibratedto read from 32 to 52 to indicate the number of stitches per inch andwhich is mounted on the guide bar 20 (see Fig. 1). The slide rail I1 isprovided with a pointer 59 adjacent an indicia scale 58a which indicatesthe buttonhole length and is on the guide bar 20. The indicia 58 and 58amay extend over a greater distance if a greater variance in the numberof stitches is desired.

The general practice in making buttonholes is to set the machine for thedesired number of stitches per inch and leave it at the selectedsetting. In the present invention I provide a means for changing thesetting without requiring the operator to reach under the machine, or totrust to guess work as to whether the right number of stitches are beingused. The desired result is obtained by releasing the screws Zia in theslots 2th and moving the guide bar 20 until the suitable amount ofstitches per inch indicated in the indicia 58 is adajacent the pointerl2a whereupon the screws are tightened.

After the machine has been set for the desired number of stitches perinch and the operator has set the machine to make a certain sizebuttonhole by means not shown the operator then moves the pointer 59 onthe slide bar I! to the corresponding indicia 58a. For instance, if themachine is set for quarter inch buttonholes the operator releases theclamp 23 and moves the pointer 59 to a point adjacent the quarter inchmark on the indicia scale 5811 on the guide bar 20. Thereafter theoperator tightens the clamp 23 to retain the slide bar I! in theadjusted position as previously described.

As a further means for adjusting the number of stitches per inch whichmay be useful at times the post 50 may be positioned in any one of theapertures 54 to thereby shorten or lengthen the link 3'! as desired.

As the machine base 42 usually is hinged to the table 43 to swingupwardly to the left in Fig. l, I preferably make the link 31 of twosections 37a and 31b hingedly connected as at 310. The hinge pintal 37dhas an eye portion 31c formed thereon to which one end of a cord 31 issecured.

The cord 37 extends out of the base 42 through a suitable aperturetherein and extends under a pulley 31g mounted on the table 43 and. thenextends upwardly and is connected to the arm 42a.

Thus when an operator tilts the base 42 upwardly, the cord 37 pulls thepintal 37d out thereby disengaging the two sections 31a and 31b of thelink 31 so that the link 31 will not become broken.

In Figs. '7 to 10, inclusive, I have indicated a modified form of myinvention generally at (it. As shown the device 6!! includes a basemember 6| having parallel spaced overhanging flanged guide rails 62 andi3 thereon. Positioned between the guide rails 62 and 13 I provide aslide bar 64 which adjacent one end is tapped to receive a thumb screw85.

Pivotally mounted on the base Bl as at 66 at one side of the slide bar Iprovide a bell crank V rocker member 6'! which includes arms 68 and 69arranged at right angles to each other with the arm 68 approximatelytwice the length of the arm 69.

A link member '10 is pivotally connected adjacent one end to the slidebar 64 by the thumb nut 65 and adjacent the opposite end is pivotallyconnected to the. arm 68 as at H.

The arm 69 is pivotally connected as at 12 adjacent one end of a bar 13which extends approximately parallel to the arm 68 and is slidably andpivotally connected as at T4 to the base 6|.

Pivotally secured to the bar 13 as at 15 I provide a link 16 theopposite end of which is connected to the pivot post 1'! of the feedwheel driving arm 18 of the feed wheel 19.

The guide bar 62 has indicia 62 thereon to indicate various numbers ofstitches per buttonhole with which the end of the slide bar 64 adjacentthe thumb screw 65 is adapted to be aligned.

To shift the pivot post 11 the operator grasps the thumb nut 65 andaligns the end of the slide bar 64 with the desired index 62 and thenoperates the thumb screw to engage tightly the base 6| thereby firmlyholding the slide bar in an adjusted position. As the slide bar 64 ismoved it rocks the rocker member 61 which in turn slides the bar 13which in turn moves the link 16 and which moves the pivot post 11.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have indicated a modification of my inventiongenerally at 80. As shown the device 80 includes a bar member 8| whichextends through an aperture 82 in the front wall 83 of a buttonholemaking machine base 84, and is pivotally connected to the driving memberpivot post 8! of the arm 85 of the stitch feed wheel 86.

Adjacent the opposite end the bar 8| has a knob member 81 thereon and analigning mark 88. Adjacent the knob 81 the bar 8| has aplurality ofapertures 88 therein in which a pin 90 in the supporting table isadapted to be positioned.

Adjacent the knob 81 the supporting table has a plate 9i thereon whichhas indicia thereon to indicate various number of stitches perbuttonhole.

In operation an operator grasps the knob 81 and lifts the bar 8| abovethe pin 90 and then moves the bar to the desired position and lowers thebar with the pin positioned in another of the apertures 89. As the bar8| is thus moved it in turn shifts the pivot post 11 to a position tocause the stitch feed wheel 86 to function to produce the desired numberof stitches per buttonhole made by the buttonhole machine.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda novel means for adjusting the number of stitches made per but to-nholeby a buttonhole forming machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft and a feed wheel driving arm coaxialwith said feed wheel, a driving member shiftable on the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said stitch control means includinga pair of coaxial connected gears, 21. pair of slidable racks eachengaging one gear, said racks being angularly disposed relative to eachother, a link pivoted to one rack and engaging said feed wheel drivingarm for controlling the position of the driving member, a scaleshiftably mounted on the base and a pointer movable with the other rackand passing over the scale.

2. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed wheel driving arm coaxialwith said feed wheel, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said stitch control means includinga gear, a slidable rack engaging the gear, a second gear coaxial withsaid first gear and secured thereto, a second slidable rack engagingsaid second gear, and a link pivoted to said second rack and engagingsaid driving member for controlling the movement of the arm.

3. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed wheel driving arm coaxialwith said feed wheel, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said stitch control means includinga slidable rack, a gear engaging said rack, a second slidable rack, asecond gear engaging said second rack and secured to said first gear,and a link having one end pivoted to said second rack and having theother end pivoted to said driving member for controlling the movement ofsaid arm.

4. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed wheel driving arm coaxialwith said feed wheel, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said stitch control means includinga slidable rack, releasable means securing said rack in adjustedposition, a gear engaging said rack, a second slidable rack passingacross said first rack and at an angle thereto, a

second gear engaging said second rack and coaxial With and secured tosaidfirst gear, and a link having one end pivoted to said second rackand having the'other end pivoted to said driving member for controllingthe movement of said arm.

5. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed wheel driving arm coaxialwith said feed wheel, a driving member 10 shiftable along the arm, astitch control means mounted on said base, said control means includinga base member, a pair of parallel guide members secured to said basemember, a rack slidable between said guide members, a gear pivoted on 15said base member and engaging said rack, clamp means for securing saidrack in adjusted position, guide means on said base member, a secondrack slidably engaging said guide means, the paths of motion of saidracks being at right angles to each other, said second rack passingacross said first rack, a second gear coaxial with said first gear andsecured thereto and engaging said second rack, and a link having one endpivotally secured to one end of said second rack and having the otherend pivotally secured to said driving member for controlling themovement of said arm.

6. In a buttonhole forming machine includinga base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed wheel driving arm coaxialwith said feed wheel, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said control means including a basemember secured to said base, a second '35 base member at right angles tosaid first mentioned base member intermediate the length thereof andsecured to said base and spaced therefrom, a pair of parallel guidemembers secured to said first mentioned base member, a rack 40' slidablebetween said guide members, a gear pivoted on said first mentioned basemember and engaging said rack, clamp means for securing said rack inadjusted position, guide means on said second base member, a second rackslidably engaging said guide means, the paths of motion of said racksbeing at right angles to each other, said second rack passing acrosssaid first rack, a second gear coaxial with said first gear and securedthereto and engaging said second rack, and a link having one endpivotally secured to one end of said second rack, and having the otherend pivotally secured to said driving member for controlling themovement of said arm.

'7. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed Wheelshaft, a feed Wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed Wheel driving armfor said feed wheel, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said control means including aslide, a bell crank, a link pivoted to the slide and to one arm of thebell crank, a lever pivoted to the other arm of said bell crank, a linkpivoted to said pivoted lever and engaging said driving member.

8. In a buttonhole forming machine including a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft, and a feed Wheel driving arm forsaid feed Wheel, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitchcontrol means mounted on said base, said control means including aslide, a bell crank pivoted on the base, a link connecting the slide andone arm of the bell crank, a lever having one end pivoted to the otherarm of said bell crank, means to pivotally and slidably mount said leverintermediate the length thereof, and a link pivoted to the other end ofsaid lever and engaging said driving member for controlling the movementof said feed wheel driving arm.

9. In a buttonhole forming machine includin a base, a feed wheel shaft,a feed wheel secured to said shaft and a feed wheel driving arm for saidshaft, a driving member shiftable along the arm, a stitch control meansmounted on said base, said control means including a slide, releasablemeans securing said slide in adjusted position, a link having one endpivoted to said slide, a bell crank, means to pivot the other end ofsaid link to one arm of the bell crank, a lever, the other arm of saidbell crank pivotally engaging one end of said last mentioned lever,means to pivot and slidably mount said lever intermediate its length,

on said base, said control means including a link having a plurality ofapertures in one end portion thereof, a fixed pin on the base engageablewith any one of said apertures, the other end of said link pivotallyengaging said driving member and controlling the movement of said arm.

DANIEL P. REILLY.

